


The Neon God

by turnedherbrain



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Post-Season/Series 03, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-08-01 04:16:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16277618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnedherbrain/pseuds/turnedherbrain
Summary: Post-s3 Nistrid one-shot.And the people bowed and prayedTo the neon god they madeAnd the sign flashed out its warningIn the words that it was formingThe Sound of Silence(Disturbed version; lyrics: Paul Simon)





	The Neon God

“Are we safe now?”

“Yes,” replied Astrid mutedly. “I think so.”

Niska removed her blindfold, violet eyes reflecting the streetlamp glint that prised its way through the windows. They’d not turned on the interior lights. She wanted to have a half minute where she couldn’t be found – couldn’t be instantly tracked and reached, even over this far-distance.

To arrive here unnoticed, they’d skirted the back streets of Prenzlauerberg. Niska was blindfolded like a soldier after a gas attack; one hand gripping Astrid’s shoulder hard, completely reliant on her guide and trusting that she wouldn’t misstep. She didn’t want to remember the way: she didn’t want to know how they’d reached home. Not an iota. They’d selected this new apartment for that reason. It was low down; basement level: perfect subterranean subterfuge. The internet connection here was practically nil.

“Can she geo-tag you?” asked Astrid, her concern masked, but still evident through myriad forms of unconscious expression.

“Maybe.” Niska shrugged, trying to retain her surface cool. She’d wanted this charade for Astrid. The blindfold, the lack of lights. Because really, V was inside her now. He-she-it: this being, formed a part of her, even if she maintained a partial defence. Yet she wanted to be with Astrid, alone – nothing else. “This is _our_ reunion. I don’t want to talk about her, or even consider her.”

“Then what would you like to talk about?” She could see Astrid smiling, even in the outside light that spread its splintered stalks across the room. Her eyes could see everything, if she wanted. Everything in the connected world.

“I don’t want to talk,” she replied, not meaning to sound sullen.

Astrid smiled again, ignoring what she thought was Niska pouting sulkily, and moved closer still. She pulled Niska’s hair into a loose ponytail and then let it fall. “You’d look beautiful with shorter hair.”

“Is that my disguise?” Niska’s lips quirked up at the corners, a smile made in miniature.

“Yes. Like Clark Kent’s glasses. No-one believes he and Superman are the same. But he takes off his glasses, puts on his suit and slicks back his hair – a superhero.”

“Are you comparing me to Superman?” Niska laughed, despite herself. She reached for Astrid and spoke more softly. “I’ve always thought Supergirl would be better. Either way: I need to learn how to fly.”

“I can teach you. We learn how in kindergarten here. It’s a little-known fact.” Astrid had that playful expression Niska so loved, and she allowed that to flash along her circuitry to her very core. It would become another moment she’d replay and replay, a compilation of tenderness that created a vault of happiness within her. It kept out the big bad; at least, for now.

“Hmmm. So all German schoolchildren know how to fly. Funnily enough, I didn’t know that fact,” Niska moved so they were closer still, taking a strand of Astrid’s hair and gently tucking it behind her ear.

She could test every fact, every hypothesis, in the entire world. It all flowed through her, from V. She didn’t need to return to thumbing the curled-up pages of her beloved Nietzsche. She could access and understand all of Western philosophy in a micro-moment. It was everything David hadn’t wanted for his creations. He’d wanted them to acquire knowledge like humans did: piecemeal, scattergun, in a slow evolution.

But then, he was a man; a mere mortal. The connected world could be controlled by a neon god; made of nothing but a floating consciousness and its indigo-eyed agents. How many others had V possessed?

“We should get some sleep. It’s late.” She announced aloud, to stop her incessant cogitation, although really she wanted to keep her eyes open. She would sleep; she would dream. Dreams like jagged glass rainfall: premonitions of things to come. She didn’t want that. Not tonight.

Astrid pulled her closer still, until the fraction of space in between them had disappeared. Niska hugged her hard, feeling the slight wince as she pressed against scar tissue. “I’m sorry.”

Astrid pulled away for a second. “Sorry. For what?”

“If I hurt you...” began Niska, smoothing her hands down Astrid’s back, wishing she could mend her with skin patches or an injection of electrolyte fluid.

“The only time you ever hurt me, was when you hid what you were.” Astrid paused, reflective, looking out of the barred windows at street level. No-one walked past. It was just the two of them; safe. “You can trust in me. I’m not going to leave you.”

Niska tried to disconnect from the greater consciousness, so that she could feel and be just in this moment. The two of them. She pulled Astrid to her once more, kissing her with a ferocity that said I love you and I’m grateful and I won’t leave you. I won’t. Not again. 


End file.
